The plant produces white blossoms, and then easy-to-pick beans that grow in clusters.
The bean pods are plump, and 5 to 6 inch (13 to 16 cm) long, with 5 to 7 beans per pod.
The beans are white inside, with light grey lines on them.
Lazy Wife Beans can be used as a green bean or a shelling bean.
The pods don’t have to be picked right away if you are using them as a shelling bean, but definitely pick them before the pods start to turn yellow and dry out.
Late harvest.
A variety, called Brown Lazy Wife Beans, has small, brown beans in it. The Pennsylvania Dutch also call it “Lentil Beans” because of how quickly these small brown beans cook.
History Notes
In Pennsylvania by 1810, likely brought by German settlers and remained a popular favourite until the early 1930s.
Language Notes
Lazy Wife Beans got its name from how easy it is to pick, and / or because it is stringless and doesn’t need stringing.